International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(3): 4332-4333
P-ISSN: 2349–8528
E-ISSN: 2321–4902
IJCS 2019; 7(3): 4332-4333
© 2019 IJCS
Received: 10-03-2019
Accepted: 12-04-2019
Yugalkishor Lodhi
Department of Vegetable
Science, Visva-Bharati,
Sriniketan, West Bengal, India
Snehasish Chakravorty
Department of Vegetable
Science, Visva-Bharati,
Sriniketan, West Bengal, India
Jitendra Trivedi
Department of Vegetable
Science, Indira Gandhi Krishi
Viswa-Vidyalaya, Krishak
Nagar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh,
India
Sangeeta Chandrakar
Department of Fruit Science,
Indira Gandhi Krishi Viswa-
Vidyalaya, Krishak Nagar,
Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
Correspondence
Yugalkishor Lodhi
Department of Vegetable
Science, Visva-Bharati,
Sriniketan, West Bengal, India
Short Communication
Water use studies of bell pepper as influenced by
different nutrient levels and mulching materials
Yugalkishor Lodhi, Snehasish Chakravorty, Jitendra Trivedi and
Sangeeta Chandrakar
Abstract
The nutrient and mulching combination @ 200kg N ha-1 + 80kg P₂O₅ ha-1 + Paddy straw mulch @ 7 t/ha-1
tended to exhibit significantly decrease in water use and increase in water use efficiency (WUE) of bell
pepper.
Keywords: Nutrient, mulching, bell pepper, water use, WUE
Introduction
Bell pepper also known as Bell pepper or Sweet pepper or Green pepper or Shimla mirch is
one of the popular solanaceous vegetable crops cultivated in most parts of the world,
especially in temperate regions of Central and South America and European countries, tropical
and subtropical regions of Asian continent mainly in India and China. India contributes one
fourth of world production of Bell pepper with an average annual production of 0.9 million
tons from an area of 0.885 million hectare with a productivity of 1266 kg per hectare from
open as well as protected cultivation (Anonymous, 2005) [2]. It is extensively cultivated in hills
of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Nilgiri hills during summer
months. As an autumn crop, it extends up to winter months in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh (NHB, 2012-13).
Bell pepper can be consumed either by cooking or raw. The leaves are also consumed as salad,
soups or eaten with rice (Love look, 1973) [7]. It was also used as folk medicine for black
vomit, tome for gout and paralysis in Shimla hills. Nutritive value of sweet pepper is also very
good as it is rich in vitamin A (3131IU), vitamin C (283 mg), protein (1.29 mg) and minerals
like calcium (13.4mg), magnesium (14.9mg), phosphorus (28.3mg), potassium (263.0 mg) per
100 g of fresh weight. (Arya, P.S., 1999 and IIHR, 2000) [3].
Water is the critical factor for growth and development of any crop. Favorable water balance
maintained through irrigations may result in better maintenance of cell turgidity, better
translocation of photosynthates, greater availability of nutrients leading to better plant growth
and yield (Ali and Kushwaha, 1987) [1]. Raising of crop during rabi season in laterite belt of
West Bengal has been threatened by various factors like low and erratic rainfall, deep ground
water table and scarcity of alternative water resources. Bell pepper is a high value crop and it
is susceptible to moisture stress and drought. Therefore, better water management through
water conservation practices are necessary to maintain adequate soil moisture during critical
periods of growth and development of the plants. Among all water conservation methods
mulching is an important one and easy to adopt which reduces evaporation (Ekinci and Dursun
2009) [4], and increases availability soil moisture and thus enhances availability of nutrients to
plants which ultimately affects yield and quality (Vanlalhluana and Sahoo 2011) [8]. Among
mulches, organic mulches are an attractive option to improve soil organic matter through their
biodegradation and easy availability. It improves vegetative growth, blooming and number of
fruit per plant which leads to early maturity and early harvest (Gomez et al., 1997) [5]. Use of
organic materials for mulching provide opportunities for growers to recycle on-farm
agricultural by-products and thus these are eco-friendly and economic as well. Locally
available organic mulches, such as paddy straw, rice husk, sawdust, grass, wheat straws are
better options for selection as organic mulch in the present experiment.
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The field experiment was conducted on Bell pepper at the
Horticulture Farm, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati
Shriniketan University during rabi season of 2014-15. The
experiment was laid out in the randomized block design
consisting of nine treatments i.e. T1 -150kg N/ha + 80kg
P2O5/ha + Rice chaff mulch @ 7t/ha, T2-150kg N/ha + 80kg
P2O5/ha+ Paddy straw mulch @7t/ha, T3 - 150kg N/ha + 120
kg P2O5/ha + Rice chaff mulch @7t/ha, T4 - 150kg N/ha +
120kg P2O5/ha + Paddy straw mulch @7t/ha, T5 - 200kg N/ha
+ 80kg P2O5/ha + Rice chaff mulch @7t/ha, T6 - 200kg N/ha
+ 80 kg P2O5/ha + Paddy straw mulch @7t/ ha, T7 - 200kg
N/ha + 120kg P2O5/ha + Rice chaff mulch @7t/ha, T8 - 200kg
N/ha + 120kg P2O5/ha + Paddy straw mulch @7t/ha, T9 –
Control. All the experimental plants were uniformly
maintained and same cultured practices were provided i.e.
Irrigation and plant protection measures during whole period
of investigation. Data regarding water use and water use
efficiency was recorded during the crop growth and
statistically analyzed.
Among all the treatments lowest water use (284.73mm)
recorded under plots mulched with paddy straw mulch
irrespective of applied nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
Similarly, water use of the plants mulched with rice chaff
mulch was recorded as 202.89mm. Among all the treatments
highest water use 328.85mm was observed in control.
Regarding water use efficiency, highest water use efficiency
(74.16 kg ha-1mm-1) recorded in T6 (200kg N/ha + 80kg
P₂O₅/ha + Paddy straw mulch @ 7t/ha), which was closely
followed by T8 (72.88mm) comprising of 200kg N/ha, 120kg
P₂O₅/ha and paddy straw mulch @ 7t/ha. However, lowest
water use efficiency (32.69 kg ha-1mm-1) was observed in
control condition (T9).
Water use and water use efficiency are interrelated terms,
lowest water use and highest water use efficiency of T6 might
be due to better mulching of soil surface firmly and reduced
water loss due to evaporation which helped greater
availability of water resulting in better translocation of
applied nutrients. Paddy straw mulch is hydrophilic in nature,
thus, it can absorb and retain moisture long time than rice
chaff mulch. Evaporation of water from the paddy straw is
comparatively lower than rice chaff mulch. Plants grown
under control plot registered grater water use and lesser water
use efficiency among all the treatments, which was due to
more surface evaporation of soil moisture accentuated by
direct exposure of soil to sunlight in absence of any covering
material as used in other treatments in the form of paddy
straw and rice chaff. These results are in agreement with
Kirnak and Demirtas (2006) [6] identified in cucumber.

Table 1: Effect of Nutrients and Mulching on water use and water use efficiency of Bell Pepper
Treatments Water use (mm) Water use efficiency (kg/ha/mm)
T1-150kg N/ha + 80kg P₂O₅/ha + Rice chaff mulch @ 7t/ha 302.89 45.99
T2-150kg N/ha + 80kg P₂O₅/ha + Paddy straw mulch @ 7t/ha 284.73 52.08
T3-150kg N/ha + 120 kg P₂O₅/ha + Rice chaff mulch @ 7t/ha 302.89 49.52
T4-150kg N/ha + 120kg P₂O₅/ha + Paddy straw mulch @ 7t/ha 284.73 55.32
T5-200kg N/ha + 80kg P₂O₅/ha + Rice chaff mulch @ 7t/ha 302.89 58.67
T6-200kg N/ha + 80kg P₂O₅/ha + Paddy straw mulch @ 7t/ha 284.73 74.18
T7-200kg N/ha + 120kg P₂O₅/ha + Rice chaff mulch @ 7t/ha 302.89 60.58
T8-200kg N/ha + 120kg P₂O₅/ha + Paddy straw mulch @ 7t/ha 284.73 72.88
T9-Control 328.85 32.69

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